Machine for attaching pouring spouts to containers



Oct. 6, 1953 M. H. KLAUSMANN ET AL 2,654,332

MACHINE FOR ATTACHING POURING SPOUTS ITO CONTAINERS Filed April 19, 19509 Sheets-Sheet l Z A T 57 .75 1; WI 1 I 2 3i W J7 4A, 44 ,g 42 I j 9 M W$3M 27 0 4 Q o ll %7 v Ill 25 Oct. 6, 1953 'M. H. KLAUSMANN ET AL2,654,332

MACHINE FOR ATTACHING POURING SPOUTS TO CONTAINERS Filed April 19, 19509 Sheets-Sheet 2 53 J 42 W J Oct. 6, 1953 M. H. KLAUSMANN ET AL2,654,332

MACHINE FOR ATTACHING POURING SPOUTS T0 CONTAINERS Filed April 19, 19509 Sheets-Sheet 3 M BY 3% Oct. 6, 1953 -M. H. KLAUSMANN ET AL 2,

I MACHINE FOR ATTACHING POURING SPOUTS TO CONTAINERS Filed April 19,1950 I 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 fym i lllllll.

L L L 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 M H KLA U$MANN ET AL MACHINE FOR ATTACHINGPOURING SPOUTS T0 CONTAINERS Oqt. 6, 1953 Filed April 19, 1950 Oct. 6,1953 M. H. KLAUSMANN ,ETAL ,6

MACHINE FOR ATTACHING POURING SPOUTS T0 CONTAINERS Filed April 19, 19509 Sheets-Sheet 6 I IQ hw \w. T wfi A m Q Oct. 6, 1953 M. H. KLAUSMANN ETAL 2,654,332

' MACHINE FOR ATTACHING POURING SPOUTS TO CONTAINERS.

9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed April 19, 1950 flwm fl n/WW MM Q Q Q w Q QYQ Oct.6, 1953 M. H. KLAUSMANN ET AL 3 MACHINE FOR ATTACHINQ POURING SPOUTS T0CONTAINERS Filed April 19, 1950 9 Sheets-Sheet a Q a M M law 5w 5% I B Y07.22%:

Oct 6, 1953 Flled Apnl 19 1950 Patented Oct. 6, 1953 MACHINE FORATTAGHING POURIN'G SPOUTS, TO CONTAINERS;

Milton H. Klausmann, Maplewood, and Henry J".

Brucker, Springfield, N. J., assignors, to Seal- Spout Corporation,Newark, N. J., a corpora-- tion of New Jersey Application April 19,1950-, Serial No, 156,784

7 Claims.

1 This invention relates toa machine for attachin Parts to articles, forexample, for inserting pouring spouts in containers, and, moreparticularly the invention contemplate a machine for attaching the part,such as a pouring spout, accurately at a predetermined'point or in apreformed or preconditioned portion of the article, for ex.- ample,-acontainer.

The invention has especial advantages when embodied in machines of thecharacter described in United States Patent No. 2,216,733, dated October8, 1940, and in the application of Henry Brucker, SerialNo. 690;901,filed August-16, 1946, now Patent No. 2,589,769; issued March 18, 1952,for inserting pouring spouts into containers.

The combined container and pouring spout includes a box or the like oftearable material, one wall of which usually has a preconditionedportion formed with slits or scores partially outlinin a pouringopening, and a pouring spout generally formed of sheet metal or othersuitable material and including abody portion overlying the outside ofsaidwall and havingsector-shaped wings or flanges concentric with oneend of the spout-inserted through the wall of the container at saidslitsor scores, thebody portion of the spout being securedto the Wall byprongs stamped step by step,- forming means for shaping said blanks intospouts, mechanism juxtaposed-tosaid path for severing spouts from saidstrip and insertingone into said portion of each of said containers, andmeans for momentarily moving said mechanism synchronously with saidcontainers and along said path of movement while the spouts are beinginserted.

The machines-disclosed in said patentand' said pending applicationincludetwo units that are operated simultaneously alternatelyr inopposite directions: betweentwopositions to receive the spoutsfromthespout-formingmechanism" at one position: and insert the spoutsinto thecontainers dlllliIlgaIIlOVBIllIlti13011190171181" position-,- sothat a spout may be inserted intoeach of twocontainer's at; the sametimeand: thereby enable rapid. production'of combinedcontainersand-spouts.

However, in many cases, a machine which is less expensive but which iscapable of about the same. rate of production, is desirable, andtherefore prime objects of the present invention are to provide amachine for attaching parts, such as pouring spouts, to articles, suchas containers, which shallcomprise a minimum number of simple andrelatively inexpensive parts and at the same time shall be reliable anddurable and capable of a rate of production substantially equal to thatof the machines of said" patent and said pending application; and toprovidesuch a machine-which shall include only one spout-inserting unitand novel and improved mechanism for operating said unit, whereby theunit can be'rapidlyoperated to insert pouts at a rate comparable withthat of the patented machine having twospoutinserting units.

Furthermore, in the machine disclosed in said patent, the units forinserting the spouts are actuated in. the direction of movement ofthecarriage by engagement of an element on the carriage with an element onthe unit, and the impact of the element on the carriage with the otherelement, particularly when the carriageis rotating at high speed, makesit difiicult to efiect "accurate alinement' of the flanges of the spoutwith the slits or scoresin the container, and this problem is aggravatedwhen it is attempted to increase the speed of the machine; and thereforeanother object of the invention is to provide novel and-improvedmeansforactuating the part or spout-inserting unit at high speedandat the sametime-ensuring properalinement of'thepart 'orspout with thepreconditioned portion of" the view, approximately on the plane of'theline-4*4 of Figure 2, showing a portion of the spout- :forming mechanismand spout-inserting mechanism in front elevation, and illustrating thespoutinsertingmeclianism at the beginning of its spoutinserting:movement;

Figure 5 is a similar view, showing the spoutinserting mechanism at theend of the spoutinserting movement;

Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are views similar to Figure 3, showing varioussteps in the actuation of the spout-inserting unit by the containercarriage from the position shown in Figures 2 and 3 to the end of thespout-inserting movement shown in Figures 5 and 9;

Figures 10 and 11 are similar views, showing the return movement of thespout-inserting unit;

Figure 12 is an enlarged-fragmentary vertical sectional view,approximately on the plane of the line l2-l2 of Figure 4, showing theparts in the position assumed just prior to the beginning of thespout-inserting operation;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view,approximately on the lane of the line l3-|3 of Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 12, showing the next successivestep in the spout-inserting operation;

Figure 15 is a similar view, approximately on the plane of the line i5l5of Figure 4;

Figure 16 is a horizontal sectional view, approximately on the plane ofthe line l6l6 of Figure 12, with the parts in the position assumed justprior to the beginning of the spoutinserting operation;

Figure 17 is a horizontal sectional view, approximately on the plane ofthe line l7li of Figure 12, with parts omitted for clearness inillustration;

Figure 18 is a view similar to Figure 16, showin operation;

Figure 19 is a view similar to Figure 17, showing the parts in theposition illustrated in Figure 18;

Figure 20 is a view like Figure 18, showing the next successive step inthe operation;

Figure 21 is a view similar to Figure 19, showing the parts in thepositions illustrated in Figure 20;

Figure 22 is a view like Figure 20, showing the parts in the positionassumed at the end of the spout-inserting operation;

Figure 23 is a view like Figure 21, with the parts in the positionsshown in Figure 22, and

Figure 24 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the containers inwhich the spout is to be inserted.

For the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention we haveshown it in connection with a container carriage and spout-blank-feedingand spout-forming mechanism of the type shown in Patent No. 2,216,733, anovel spoutinserting mechanism and a novel actuating mechanism for saidspout-forming mechanism and said spout-insertin mechanism, of thegeneral type disclosed in said pending application Serial No. 690,901.

The machine embodying the invention includes a suitable support which isshown in the form of a pedestal I having a base (not shown) and a topplate 2. Supported on the pedestal is a carriage or turret 3 forsupporting and moving containers 4 into which pouring spouts are to beinserted, the carriage being shown as rotatable about a vertical axis ona thrust bearing 5 and'having an individual carrier 8 for each containerwhich is moved in a predetermined path from a container-insertingorchargin station, past a combined spout-blank feeding mechanism andspout-forming mechanism 9, a spout-inserting mechanism It and then to acontainer-discharging station (not shown).

While the machine of the present invention may be utilized for insertingdifferent types of spouts or other articles into different forms ofcontainers or other supports, for the purpose of illustrating theprinciples of the invention the spout herein contemplated comprises abody portion :2, prongs i3 on the body portion to penetrate and beclinched upon a container wall for securing a spout therein, and wingsor flanges I4 movabie in the pourin opening of the container as thespout is moved from closed to open position.

The spout-blank feeding mechanism includes a guideway 5 for a continuousstrip 16 of spout blanks which includes a plurality of fiat blanksconnected in end to end relation, each blank being shaped to provide thebody portion and side wings of a finished spout. This guideway is shownas formed between two plates 11 and 13,9. fiat spring i 9 being providedin a recess between said plates for yieldingly frictionally holding theblank strip against movement. Means for pushing the blank strip throughsaid guideway includes a block 20 slidably mounted in the outer plate I?and having pivctally connected thereto at 2|, a pair of feed dogs 22which are connected to move together by a cross-rod 23 at their lowerends, the upper ends of the dogs having inturned fingers 24 to engagebehind the edges of the respective blanks of the blank strip 46. Theblock 20 and the dogs 22 may be reciprocated and oscillated,respectively, by any suitable means such as that illustrated in PatentNo. 2,216,733, so as to feed the blank strip one blank at a time intothe spout-forming mechanism.

The spout-forming mechanism includes a die 25 juxtaposed to the guideway15 at one side thereof and a complemental movable die 26 at the oppositeside of the guideway. The movable die is reciprocable on a bracket 27forming a part of an auxiliary frame 28 which is supported on thepedestal I in any suitable manner. The

" two dies are so shaped as to bend up the side wings [4 of the spoutwhen the reciprocating die 26 is moved toward the die 25 from theposition shown in Figure 12 to the position shown in Figure 14, andsimultaneously, the prongs l3 of the next succeeding spout blank areformed by punches 29 carried by the die 26, all in substantially thesame manner as shown and de scribed in Patent No. 2,216,733. Thereciprocation of the die 26 is shown as effected by a cam 39 which isengaged by follower rollers 3| on a plate extension 32 of the die block28, the plate extension having a slot 33 through which passes acountershaft 34 that is journaled in the bracket 2? and in the top plate35 of the machine and upon which the cam 30 is mounted. Instead of 'thespout-forming mechanism above described. ,We might use spout-formingmechanism like that shown in Patent No, 2,300,099, dated October 27,1942.

The shaft 34 is driven through a gear 36 at the upper end of the shaftthat meshes with a long idler pinion 31 which also meshes with a gear 38journaled on the top plate and meshing with a drive pinion 39 connectedto a drive shaft 40 to one end of which is coupled a transmission shaftMa that may be driven by any suitable source of power such as anelectric motor mounted on the top plate 35. At the other end of thedrive shaft 48 is apinion 4i meshing with a ring iemounted onamarcuatesli'desumoncentric the path or movement,- ot-ithemarriersand slidablm ina -sldt 45 in a braclcet plate lii'depending from: th'etop plateiiTherspout holder.- underlies 'andr slides alonge-the bottomz'SUIYfRGenOf itheabrackee plate! and is connected-'to randrcooperateswitm a guide plate 4l' 'that-rrests and-:shdes :upomtheupperisurfaceiofi'the bracket plate: As shown-,1 th'e spout holderandsiplate 4'! are :rconnected-zztm each otheriand to therslideefl bycap-:screwsrflu In: accordance '-:witl r-the-:-inventiorr; theeholdeis.is actuated in the:directtomof movement:of the carriersfi by lugs 49omthe carriage-zcoopenate ingwitl'i a latcl'r bar--'50 thatiisislidableein'rai block:

it =fiiedly 'connectednto-"theslide- 44i; As :shown: these lug's'fl aredisposedobetween theircarriers; as best shown in Figure 6; andfithelatchabar 5a is successivelyprojectedriintonand retracted from the "path01 movement of-vthe lugs: sofas "to; sue:- cessively connect the blockfl rand'slide -44 to the carriage-' and irelease the: block:theretrornza As shown, the end-of 'th'e eaten opposite :that which:engages the 1ug- 48 isbeveled: at -52itorcooperate with -a --stud' 53 onthe bracket plate-cs :as to project the: latch SWWHBHth blocksi l i andspent holder :43 -are in -their --initial:positions;zaszshowrr in ligure 3; where a spout-areceiving "channelfik thespout hhlder isdisposedabove andrirra l ine-v ment with "the guideway i'fotftheispout-idornreing" mechanism s0 as Q to: receivee then completedspout at the-upperend: offtheespout :blankstrip; as shown ixrFigure'lz'.

It is "an feature of therinventi'omthat ltheasllde and' spout' holderare set in." motiontandractuated to a speed slightly-Jess tlianathatiiof the;.1ug 49a before the lug strikes the latckbar: whereby toeliminate or'reduce tothe minimum'the shocld cident to th'e impact' oftlie lug= 49 jwitlrithe latch bar. For this purpose; anauxiliarwmechanism is' provided and* includes an actuating? member suchasarm 55' on=the=blocln5 I roller i 6: carried by 'the-= arm; and adrivingvmembersuchaam cam flange 5T'which cooperates Wifl't therroller."Cam flange" 513s": adjustabm mounted iby a; screw-rand slot connectionfl on -acamdi'scrfl whiclrlskeyed on-"-countershaft 34. In zoperation;as thercarrier approaches the spout Holder 43, the camzflangei 5t! eages th'e roller filii as 'showniin Eigure*-3; and ir'iitiates=movementof the slide: 44:: and? spout holder in thedirection-opmovementuorzthexcare rier, as shown in Figure '7. Duringthis movement of -the"-slide; the lug' 49 on tlie= carriage will haveapproaohed the' latch bar'ilbi as shown in Figure '7. At about thispoint, the cam flange 51 will leave the ro11er*56*'-'and the lug 48=will engage the latch zbar; as? shown in Figure 8; whereupon the slideand spout holder will-be moved directly by the carriage to the spout-insertingposition; as-shown.in Figure 91 Atl this' point, thelatch bari5B is retracted from thevlug 49 by, a. stud an on the bracket plate 46which enters a cam slot 6| in the underside of the latch bar so as towithdraw the latter, as shown in Figure 9. Thereupon the block 5|, slide44 and spout holder 43 are returned to their initial positions byengagement of the cam surface '62 of the cam disk 59 6;withrthenolierifia aecbest ashownzand-3;?after.-which;rthe.:operation::isir neetcdcmn the next carrier B..onn.the,.c.arria ee Itawill; e: observed that with thisconatruction;the carria can-:be ratihighl-speedi another-spout holdercan;befrapidlyu-oscillamd sozasatotensureia h gherrate oninsertioin ofpouring spouts.. intozcontamz.- ers; accurately and witbrazminimum 10f;yibra ion: and strain-ofisthe parts Duringz-the momentany movement.oiizthe noutholders with the; carriers; the spouts are simt lr;tanecuslyinserted into; the containers. carried: by the carriers.: The.spout; holder-received t: spout. into: its: spout-receiving v charmer:54.1; an

r a ram 63 is slidable in said channel successively to sever*theespoutwfrom theespouublank -str ip to-{push rthe sccompletedi spouti-through hezchannnel-zand;t0 insert the ,afianges::an.d p on -sec 311.61 spoutztthrough:thewalls ofi thmcontamerewhich preferably-"willhave 5138 111"; slitted n corede at 40c and: :4 bang-1111mmr=imany-.'suitable :w rtn iw r aszshown-zirr saidrPatentNoz2i2lfifltto.f eilitato thee entry of: the flan eszand. pron tively a As shown,.themanefidhas 0k; iedge shwhich sOQODfildtQSeWithan ed e 5:011 th i 2 5v; was -to sever ."thQxCQBQlQtfidQSDQl-lh from the pout blanklrstrimassshownw-in -Figuree14, The,- pusher -or:.-ram- :63 may; be ,-of.; anysuitable 200, struction, but as @ShOWIlzi compfies;- a barrqf at cross-seetion approximately;corresppnding tmthe shape of the channel a 54and: 1135:2351 rme which-carries arreller'fl thatrrideslinta cant slotfiaiawh'ichid-1115130866.-in;aazpla lievfi9r-ccnlfmetdd afi by capscrews- 10 51301131131die bldflkflfi (Sfififigllm 12,113 Y and 16)With-thisnconstruction, ,it will be observed that nthe rol leri 61(will; be: caused i moverto the right inithe: slot-1.68twhenttheaspontholder is moved synchrononely-t with thee COR; tainen carriersoaasetoepgish theaspout through the: channel 54.: and through the.walls; of: the container; asrshowninFigures. lent 10223,,- inclusive,and ithat the movement of the;spou t holder with the-carrierand,containerswill continue only, long enough to :pernritthe ramyt3pto,.push -.the.-,spout into ;the-container, as ,shown in Figure 3,

As the prongs are inserted through-.the oone tai-nera-wall, they,are-clinched. in any suitable w ry, or xample; taught bye Batent'; No2,216,333. .7

Generally; describing;the -operation of the f nal? chine; the-spoutsiareformedsuccessively-through ree-iproc-ationpf. the dieblockv 26,- by thecam, 3fliand: arepwiected lstepvby-etep into thecham nela 50 r; the:spout holder; as shown in-itigure 12. One spout iSaSQ-PI'Ojfifitbisimultaneou ly with: the partial formation iofi thenext succeedne-rsputtasethe diebloek zzttmoves toward the diet: seetion= 25, and during.this movement. th completed spout, isr severed .and. pushed, through a;portion 20f. itsemovement toward the container carrier." Movement ofthaspout-holden is started by; the-cam vflange 5.1 and) quickly,thereafter, the latch; bar: 50 isen e fid bit-one. of thealugs, 48,80935-5110 locate,the,v container on the correspond? ing carrieraccurately with respect to the spout holdenand at: the: sametime movethe spout holder synchronously. with the container, as shown. in-Eig-ure 8.; During, the. movement. oi

wall of the container, as shown in Figures 15' and 20 to 23, inclusive.

After the spout has been inserted into the container, the containers areremoved from the car- 7 riers by any suitable means such as shown inPatent No. 2,216,733 or in the above-mentioned application Serial No.690,901.

While we have shown and described the invention as embodied in certainspecific structural details, it should be understood that this isprimarily for the purpose of illustrating the now preferred embodimentof the invention and that many modifications and changes can be made inthe construction of the machine, particularly the motion-initiating andaccelerating mechanism for the spout holder, all within the spirit andscope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim is:

1. A machine for attaching parts to articles comprising a support, acarriage on said support having a carrier thereon for holding and movingthe article and movable in a predetermined path, a unit to hold a partand movable alternately in opposite directions, means to move said unitin one direction momentarily synchronously with said carrier along aportion of said path including cooperative normally disengaged elementsone on said carriage and the other on said unit and engageable duringmovement of said carriage to move said unit, auxiliary mechanism otherthan said elements including a driving member mounted on the support andan actuating member on said unit operatively associated with the drivingmember to cause the actuating member to be moved in timed relation tothe movement of said carriage for initiating movement of said unit insaid direction prior to engagement of said elements and for continuingsuch movement at a speed slightly less than that of the carriage untilengagement of said elements, and means on said unit for attaching a partto an article during each said movement of said unit with the carrier.

2. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the driving member is a camrotatable about an axis on said support and in engagement with theactuating member for moving the actuating member in timed relation tothe movement of said carriage.

3. A machine as defined in claim 1, with the addition of means fordisengaging said elements, means for actuating said unit in the oppositedirection after the disengagement of said elements, and wherein thedriving member is a cam rotatable about an axis on said support and inengagement with the actuating member for moving the actuating member intimed relation to the movement of said carriage.

4. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the driving member is a camrotatable about an axis on said support and in engagement with theactuating member for moving the actuating member in timed relation tothe movement or said carriage, and with the addition of means forcausing disengagement of said elements, and means for actuating saidunit in the opposite direction including a cam rotatable about the sameaxis.

5. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the driving member is a camrotatable about an axis on said support and in engagement with theactuating member for moving the actuating member in timed relation tothe movement of the carriage and with theaddition of means for causingdisengagement of said elements, and a second cam rotatable about thesaid axis and engageable with said actuating member after disengagementof said actuating member from the first-named cam, to actuate said unitin the opposite direction.

6. A machine for attaching parts to predetermined portions of articles,comprising a carriage having a plurality of carriers, one for eacharticle, means for actuating said carriage to move said carriers in apredetermined path, a unit common to said carriers and movable with eachthereof in succession and synchronously therewith during movement ofsaid carriers through a portion of said path for receiving and movingeach part from a certain point juxtaposed to said path, means foractuating said unit including an element on said unit and an element onsaid carriage in predetermined relation to each carrier, said elementsbeing normally disengaged, means for causing engagement of said elementon said unit successively with said elements on said carriage to movesaid unit in one direction synchronously with said carriage, auxiliarymechanism other than said elements including a driving member mounted onsaid support and an actuating member on said unit operatively associatedwith the driving member which actuating member is moved in timedrelation to the movement of said carriage for initiating movement ofsaid unit in said direction prior to engagement of said elements and forcontinuing such movement at a speed slightly less than that of saidcarriage until engagement of said elements, means on said unit forattaching a part to an article during each said movement of said unit byand with said carriage, means for causing disengagement of said elementsafter said part has been attached, and means for actuating said unit inthe other direction after the disengagement of said elements.

7. A machine is defined in claim 6, wherein said mechanism includes amember on said unit and a cam rotatable about an axis on said support intimed relation to the movement of said carriage engageable with saidmember to move said unit into proper alinement with the portion of anarticle to which said part is to be attached prior to engagement of saidelements and automatically disengageable from said member atapproximately the time of engagement of said elements, said unit beingmovable by and with said carriage thereafter, and wherein the means foractuating said unit after disen- 'gagement of said elements includes acam rotatable about the same axis as the first-named cam and engageablewith said member after dis-v engagement of said elements.

MILTON H. KLAUSMANN. HENRY J. BRUCKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,216,733 Brucker Oct. 8, 1940 2,425,170 Wunsch Aug. 5, 194'?2,425,726 Bunnell Aug. 19, 1947

